


It's Complicated

by AnaLeiaSweet



Series: The Promise: Home [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Adoption, Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Blood and Gore, Child Abuse, Developing Family Relationships, Dreams and Nightmares, Elementary School, Explicit Language, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Shenanigans, Gangs, Gen, High School, Homeless Orphans, Implied Corruption, Kidnapping, Probably Unrealistic Gangs and Mafia, Psychological Torture, Torture, Weapons, at least some aspects but not all of it, i don't tread deep into Gangs and Mafia yet, later on though, mafia, no one is the same age as canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-07-16 16:00:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7274488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnaLeiaSweet/pseuds/AnaLeiaSweet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Also posted on FFnet.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Smoker really never wanted to raise his nephew, he wasn't good with teens and kids, but now he's stuck with three orphans he picked up off the street? And why do the four of them attract trouble like magnets? How will this chain smoking policeman manage to not strangle them on a daily basis?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone gets in way over their heads when three orphans are picked up from beneath a bridge. Danger lurks behind every corner, and no one is safe. The corruption in Grandline City must be exposed one sin at a time. One of the biggest sins centers around Ace, a boy with a dark past and only a dying glimmer of hope left in his heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The White Haired Man

The sound of a baby crying was drowned out by the rest of the world – the sounds of police sirens, men and women fighting and laughing, music booming, people walking and dancing, cars racing through the streets, TV's in homes and so on and so forth.

A soft voice began to make shushing sounds, rocking the wailing infant back and forth in his own small arms. The infant slowly stopped its crying when the youth began to hum a soft song. It cooed, reaching its small, pudgy hands up to the boy. The boy gave a soft smile and let the baby grab his fingers.

"Ace," The boy holding the baby looked to his side, where another figure leaned on him. He was much smaller than him, around five years old. Like the baby and the boy named Ace, he was covered in dirt and grime. "Why's he crying?"

"I dunno, Sabo, but he seems okay now," Ace replied, looking down at the infant poorly wrapped in blankets. The baby was snuggling up into his chest as best as it could, making small sounds of complaint until Ace changed his position. The baby gave a sound of contentment and cooed, making a small smile cross the boy's face.

Ace tensed when he heard approaching footsteps, holding the baby closer as Sabo clenched his arm. He looked up, eyes scanning the dark surroundings for any sign of danger. They were currently under a bridge, in the heart of the city, with cars constantly moving above them.

Ace moved slowly, handing the baby to Sabo and adjusting his arms so he held it right. He whispered, telling him to stay there and stay quiet, which Sabo willingly did. Ace then grabbed one of the two pipes on the ground and held it up defensively, slowly walking in the direction of the footsteps. He could see a man approaching in the distance, tall and strong.

It seemed like a very short time before the man stood near him. He was, indeed, tall and strong, but he couldn't make out much else. The man stopped in front of him, and Ace couldn't tell what he was looking at. He kept his stance, his pipe held up in front of him, should the man make any sudden moves.

From the man's side, he was slightly shocked. He was a policeman, and he had been called down to check on suspicious noises. He had expected many things – a fight, a drug deal, a murder, maybe even people fucking under the bridge. He had _not_ thought he would see three kids, all appearing homeless and very wary of him, especially since this city was known for having very few homeless people.

The man knelt down, getting to the boy with the pipe's level. The boy tensed, glowering, but he just stared back.

"It's kind of cold out tonight, isn't it," He stated, trying to ease the boy's apprehension. He could see how underdressed the two boys were, the elder didn't even have on a shirt, despite the fact that cold rain was falling on them. He saw the boy ease up, even if it was just a very small amount. "Would you boys like to come back with me? I can help you, if you'd like," He softly said. He wasn't really going to give them a choice – there was no way in hell he would leave these kids out here to starve or freeze to death – but he wanted them to feel more comfortable with him if they decided they would go.

The boy with the pipe eased even more. He glanced behind him at the other boy, who was noticeably shivering, then at the bundle moving in his arms. He turned back to the man and lowered his stance, nodding slowly.

"My name is Logan, what's your name?" The police officer said, holding out his hand for the boy. The boy approached slowly and cautiously gave him his hand.

"Ace."

 

* * *

 

 

Seven hours later, in the early hours of the morning as the moon began to descend from it's peak, the man named Logan was holding a young baby with one arm while holding a young child's hand with the other. The oldest child stood at his side, arms crossed and acting very upset. Logan groaned internally, just wanting to return home and sleep.

He had been asked to watch over the kids for a little while, until everything was sorted out. And it wasn't like he hadn't dealt with this before.

"Smoker-ya, why do you have kids with you?" Logan – otherwise known as Smoker – sighed heavily with annoyance. He stared at the couch in the walk-in living room, where his insomniac nephew sat in his black and yellow pajamas on his laptop.

"They're going to be living here for a little while. And how many times do I have to tell you to stay in your room after eleven?" Smoker scolded, only getting a middle finger in the process. Smoker groaned as he walked forward into the three-bedroom apartment that was on the eleventh floor of the building. He walked into their rather large bathroom and straight over to the bathtub. He turned, motioning for Ace to come closer. The boy reluctantly complied and was handed the baby.

"Hold him for a minute," Smoker said as he turned on the water, testing the spray to see if it was a comfortable temperature. He grabbed a bottle and a bar of soap and turned to the two boys. "You two need to shower. You put some of the stuff in this bottle in your hand and rub it into your hair. You use this bar of soap to clean the rest of your body. I need to go wash the baby, but call me if you need me." And with that, Smoker carefully picked up the infant and left the room, leaving the two boys to their shower.

"C'mon, Sabo. Take off your clothes and let's get in," Ace ordered once he was sure the man was gone. He quickly undressed himself and then, once Sabo was done, he hurriedly got the boy in. The younger boy blinked at the change, smiling.

"It's kinda like rain, Ace," He said, clapping his hands together in the spray and giggling when it made a small splash. Ace gave a grin as he got his hair wet. He could already see the dirt rolling off of them in streams and washing down the drain.

"Get your hair wet, Sabo," Ace said. He turned and grabbed the bottle, putting some into his hand and rubbing it into his own hair. Sabo grabbed the bottle after and did the same, but panicked when it overflowed. He blinked, unsure what to do, but just put it all in his hair anyway. He placed the bottle down as he tried to rub it in.

"Ace, it stings my eyes!" Sabo whined, rubbing at the sensitive area. Ace sighed as he finished washing it out of his hair, recalling the action from years ago.

"Splash some water into them," He said as he grabbed the bar of soap and began to clean himself off. Sabo grumbled before doing as Ace said, allowing the sticky and bubbly liquid to roll out of his hair and down his body.

Ace felt very clean for the first time in a long time as all of the dirt and grime was washed off of his body. He reveled in the feeling and the fact that he could see the color of his own skin. He stood there for long minutes, watching the streams of brown water roll off of him as he scrubbed slowly, taking his time, enjoying the fact that he was able to bathe again. Still, he knew he couldn't stand there forever, as someone else who probably never remembered taking a bath was there with him, clueless as to what he was doing. He turned to Sabo and saw the boy was still dirty. He took the bar of soap and began washing his back slowly. The younger boy jumped a little, startled, but allowed Ace to continue until the elder deemed his back clean and decided Sabo could finish cleaning himself.

"Sabo, finish cleaning yourself off," Ace said, handing him the soap as he carefully got himself out of the shower. Ace grabbed one of the towels that he saw hanging on the rack and immediately wrapped himself in it. It was warm, soft, and fluffy. He buried his face into the fabric with a contented sigh.

"Ace, how do I turn it off?" Ace turned and saw Sabo was trying to climb over the edge of the tub. Ace helped him over and quickly wrapped him in a towel before moving, turning the nozzle until the shower water stopped its flow. There was a knock on the door, dragging both of the boy's attention to it.

"May I come in?" It was that teenager Ace had seen. Law, was it?

"Yeah," The raven haired boy replied. The teen walked in holding some clean, large white shirts. He stared down at the two boys wrapped in towels before handing them the clothing.

"They're big t-shirts, but they'll do for now. When you're done, come on out to the kitchen." And with that, the teenager named Law left the room. Ace stared after him before turning and drying Sabo's curly hair. He could actually tell what color hair they younger had now – he was blond. He had always thought it was brown. He was also tanner than Ace, but the boy didn't care much because Sabo was still Sabo – smart, kind, funny, _his_ little brother.

Then, for the first time in years, Ace turned and looked at himself in the mirror.

He really had changed over the years. He was tanner than he remembered and now the freckles that dotted his cheeks were greater in number. He was thin, like Sabo, from lack of food. His ribs were visible and his limbs were like sticks despite the odd plumpness of his face. He looked at his black hair and his dark eyes and was slightly startled – he didn't remember ever having such dark locks or irises.

"Ace," The boy was startled out of his silent shock by the blond next to him. The boy was already wearing one of the shirts. It fit him like a dress, dragging on the floor behind him. He looked at Ace with questioning eyes, but the boy merely pat him on the head with a smile. Ace then pulled on the other shirt. It reached a little above his knees and covered his starved frame.

He walked out of the bathroom and made his way into the kitchen, standing in the doorway in front of Sabo. Despite having gone with the man, he was still incredibly wary of the tall, strong, chain-smoking man who introduced himself as Logan. But Ace realized that everyone they had met that night called him Smoker.

He decided he would call him Smoker, when the time arose.

Currently, the white-haired man was carefully drying off the baby whose name was still a mystery. The baby – now that he was clean – had naturally tanned skin. He had black hair tufts of hair atop of his small head and appeared no older than a week or two.

Law made a coughing noise in his throat as he prepared some sandwiches – on Smoker's orders – for the two younger boys. The man turned around and saw the two boys standing in the doorway to the kitchen. He motioned for them to enter as he finished drying off the baby before swaddling him with a blanket as one of the women back at the station had showed him. He sat down in a chair as Law put the plates of food at the table before taking a seat himself with a large mug of black coffee set in front of him.

"You two can eat," Smoker said. Instantly, the two boys ran to the table and scrambled onto the chairs, devouring the sandwiches within two minutes or less. The baby had already been fed at the station and there was more formula if he did get hungry again later.

Once the boy's had finished their food, Smoker handed the baby to Law and began his questions. He would've done it at the station, but there, the two boys were tense and anxious. They had refused to speak. Hopefully, they wouldn't now.

"Ace and Sabo, right?" Smoker asked, receiving only a nod from the raven haired child. "Have you two been living on the streets like that for a long time?" Again, the boy nodded. "How long?"

Ace was silent for a few moments. He knew they were going to be questioned about this eventually, and he was relieved it wasn't at that police station. But still, concerning how he became homeless, he didn't want the questions to venture into that territory. Reluctantly, he replied, "Six years for me, three for Sabo."

Smoker nodded and looked over at the infant in Law's arms. "What's his name?"

Ace looked over at the baby, his eyes softening slightly. "Luffy," Ace replied as the baby began to snooze in the young teens arms.

"What happened to his parents?"

Ace shrugged. "Don't know. We found him in an alley a few weeks ago."

Smoker's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How did you keep an infant alive?"

Ace's eyes widened slightly before he looked down at the table, boring holes into its surface. Sabo sat next to him, not speaking because he learned to do as Ace did. If Ace didn't speak, he wouldn't speak.

Smoker sighed when he realized that neither were going to say anything. He looked up at the clock and noted it was nearing three in the morning.

"It's getting late. We should get to bed," The man said as Law handed the baby over to him. "Come, I'll show you where you'll sleep."

Ace and Sabo got out of their chairs and the two thin boys followed the broad-shouldered man down the hall. Law walked behind them, stifling a yawn as they walked. Smoker stopped at the second and last door on the right, next to the bathroom. He opened the door and stepped in, allowing the two children to enter.

It wasn't much since it was normally used as a guest room. There was a queen-sized mattress in the middle with white sheets and blue covers, just a few shades darker than the blue walls. There were two night stands on either side, both with plain lamps and one with an alarm clock. Against the wall the door resided on was a bureau of the same wood of the head and footboard of the bed.

"You two can sleep in here for the night."

"Luffy too," Ace immediately demanded, glowering up at the man just for the mere suggestion of separating the three of them. Smoker gave a heavy, rough sigh.

"If that's what you want," He said, causing Sabo's pout to become a toothy smile and for Ace to nod in approval. The two kids then moved over to the bed and climbed on. A large grin came over Sabo's face as he buried his face into the pillows. Ace looked up at Smoker expectantly. The man walked over and handed the infant to the boy. He carefully took the sleeping infant in his arms and smiled down at him before putting him in the middle of the bed on a pillow, right between himself and Sabo.

"If you need anything, I'm in the room right across from you," Smoker said as he moved to the doorway. Ace only nodded to show he heard and the man then silently shut the door.

He saw Law waiting in his bedroom door, staring at him with knowing eyes.

"Taking in strays again, Smoker?"

The gray haired man gave a glare to the teen. "You're not exactly a stray, Law."

"Maybe not, but, I believe I fit in well enough into that category. Don't you?"

Smoker scoffed, moving to go to his own room, when Law spoke again, this time seriously instead of playfully.

"Are they going to stay here?"

Smoker looked over at him blankly for a few moments, stuck in thought.

"Don't know," He said as he entered his room, closing the door behind him. Law just stared at the closed door and gave a soft sigh.

"That probably means yes," He whispered to himself as he entered his room to try and get some sleep.

 


	2. The Snake and the Mongoose

 

Ace awoke to the sounds of pigeons cooing and a small hand flailing in his face. He opened his eyes, lost in thought for a moment. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept that well. When was the last time he even slept on a bed?

A whine brought him out of his thoughts and he sat up on the bed, looking down at the baby staring up at him with large, innocent eyes. Ace smiled down at him and brushed some of the stray strands of his wispy black hair on the top of his head. Small, chubby hands reached up for him and he gently picked up the infant, humming softly. He looked around the room and saw that the red numbers on the clock said it was around eight in the morning. He heard mumbling and looked down to see Sabo opening his eyes blearily.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Ace said with a teasing grin. Sabo sat up, yawning and rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes, before grinning at the older boy.

"Mornin'," The blond disregarded the sleepyhead part of Ace's greeting and crawled over the covers, looking at the baby. "How's Luffy?"

"He seems okay for now, but he's gonna need food soon," Ace said with slight worry. He moved to the edge of the bed and carefully stepped down, glad that it wasn't a large drop. He motioned for Sabo to follow him and moved to the door. Sabo, once he managed to get down from the bed since the drop was larger for him, opened the door for the boy. Ace thanked the younger as they walked down the hall. When he reached the kitchen, he stood in the doorway, unsure if he could enter or not.

Smoker was cooking food on the stove, and to both boys it smelled heavenly. Law was sitting at the table, drinking some black coffee, the whole pot of in front of him and almost empty. He noticed the boys in and motioned for them to enter. Ace gave him Luffy so he could sit on his seat and then took the infant back in his arms. Law picked up a bottle from the table and gave it to Ace. He blinked when he realized it was formula.

"I figured he would be hungry," Law stated as he poured the last of the black coffee into his mug.

"Thanks," Ace mumbled as he took the bottle with one hand and brought it to Luffy's mouth. The baby immediately began to suckle, some of the drink dribbling down the sides of his mouth as he drank the liquid.

Smoker put down a plate in front of each of the three boys. Sabo, while kneeling on his seat to be able to see over the table, blinked curiously at the food. He hadn't seen anything like it before but, as he had learned over the years, don't question food. He picked up the fork and immediately began to shovel the food into his mouth, savoring every bite, his eyes widening with awe at the deliciousness. Ace, though hungry, refused to hand Luffy over until he had finished feeding the infant. And only then did he hand him over because his stomach was growling too much for him to ignore.

It was awkwardly quiet as they ate with Law scrutinizing the two boys, Ace glaring at Law and Smoker, Sabo oblivious, and Luffy gurgling in a frustrated man's arms.

Smoker could deal with kids. He didn't see anything wrong with them – they were small, they could be insightful, they were brats, but they weren't perpetually annoying. Teens were alright…kind of. They were cocky and could annoy the shit out of him, especially his genius nephew who was sometimes too cocky for his own good. How was he supposed to put up with his nephew, a high school freshman and cocky like all freshman, a ten year old who probably knew a lot of shit he wasn't supposed to know and seemed extremely distrusting, a five year old who was just following the ten year old, and an infant who was just a few weeks old,  _ without _ another adult in the house.

The migraines were already coming on.

Law didn't know what to feel about the kids, but he was annoyed about the whole situation. He really did not want to have to suddenly have to share everything or deal with whiny, crying kids. He liked to observe and conduct experiments, not deal with and not gain knowledge. What's more, if the kids did stay with them, would he have to share a room? This was so unexpected and it made Law silently seethe.

But he was still amused because of how annoyed Smoker was.

Ace was tense. He hated adults, teens, people who had money handed them on a platter. These guys seemed pretty well off. Yeah, they helped them out, but who knew how long they would stay? Just because Smoker was a cop didn't mean he wouldn't hand them off to some strangers. If the three of them faced the threat of separation because of this, Ace would grab the two of them and run. He was not losing them. They had been through so much that losing even one of them would break his heart, Sabo's heart, even young Luffy's heart. Ace and Sabo had cared for him since minute 15, not long after he had been abandoned. He knew no other touch as well as theirs, they knew how to calm him, they fed him. Out of the three, he was the most vulnerable. If Ace let anything happen to Sabo and Luffy, especially the later since he was just a baby – fragile and in need of great care – then Ace would never forgive himself.

It's why he refused to be unwary around these men.

"Ace, I need to pee."

Ace looked over at Sabo, who was tugging on his shirt, squirming in his seat. Ace sighed before finishing the last of his sandwich.

"You know where the bathroom is."

Sabo nodded and quickly scuttled off. Ace watched the two men, seeing if they would reject the boy of his bodily functions like some had before. Even when what he expected did not happen, he did not relax.

He couldn't – wouldn't – let his guard down.

Smoker's phone rang suddenly. He stood and handed the infant carefully over to Ace, who cradled the small form against his chest, before walking out and answering the phone in a hushed whisper. Law's phone buzzed, signaling a text, and he immediately blocked out everything except his phone, typing rapidly once he had absorbed every ounce of information held within the text.

Ace gave a small scoff and a sneer. People and their phones. They wouldn't survive a day in poverty without their phones. The only thing Ace ever got from phones was selling the ones he found thrown out for no reason when they were still perfectly useable or the occasional one that he stole. Law tossed him a quick glare which Ace returned before turning his eyes down to the fussing baby.

Luffy began to cry. Ace frowned, holding the infant closer and rocking him, sighing when it didn't work all that well. He probably needed his diaper changed. A hand landed on Ace's shoulder in the middle of his efforts to calm the young one, causing him to flinch. It was Smoker standing behind him.

"I'll handle his diaper. Law, go see if you can find any clothes for them to borrow."

Law grumbled, flipping the man the bird as he walked out grudgingly followed by a highly irritated Ace.

Smoker wished he could smoke around the baby because he was beyond stressed.

He was told he might have to watch them not for a week, but for a few months, all because of the fact that their papers said that Ace was supposed to be dead and Sabo was, at this point, nonexistent according to papers along with Luffy.

_ This is just not my morning _ was his only thought as he moved to help the baby.

Ace sat with his arms crossed on Law's bed, staring at the back of the teen. He didn't like him. Law just seemed very cocky, and Ace hated that. Yeah, he could be cocky in fights, but he was strong enough to beat up some adults. He had more of a right to be cocky than what appeared to be a bookish high schooler. Seriously, there were at least fifty books scattered across this room, open, closed, pages yellowed, corners bent, written on…Ace could barely read. He only knew how to read because of…Ace shivered. He didn't want to think of that.

Something landed on his head. Ace grunted in surprise before pulling the fabric from his face. It was a shirt that looked like it was big for him, but it wasn't nearly as big as the one he wore to bed. It was a plain red shirt.

He hated the color red.

Still, he took it. It wasn't like he had a choice in the matter. A pair of shorts, black, and a bag of unopened boxers landed on his lap. They looked big as well, but he could deal with it. It had been a while since he had something decent to wear. Another shirt, blue, and shorts, tan, blue again, landed on his lap.

"Share that with the other kid," Law said as he moved and roughly ushered the other out of his room, slamming the door behind him. Ace glared at the large piece of wood as music began to play loudly behind it.

He really didn't like that guy.

"Ace, what's that?" Sabo asked, running up to the taller boy.

"It's some clothes. Let's go change," Ace said, gently pushing the younger down the hall. Sabo blinked confusedly, keeping his eyes on the door where the loud music came from as he was brought to the room they slept in that night.

Law was right when he said the clothes were too big. Ace was looking at himself in the mirror as he frowned at the clothing. The shirt, though not as large as the one he wore last night, was rather large on him. The short sleeves went past his elbows and the shorts went past his knees and halfway down his shins, looking like capris. He turned around to look at Sabo and sighed when the shirt looked much like a dress on the short boy and the shorts were far too long for his legs.

The door opened without warning, startling the two as they turned their heads to stare up at Smoker, shocked. The man sighed, realizing he had startled them, and gave a mumbled apology before saying something really fast and slightly irritated. Only Ace was able to decipher what he had said, and the boy just stared blankly up at him while Sabo asked what was going on.

"We're staying here?"

Smoker nodded as he handed the infant in his arms, who was fussing and whining, over to the boy as he held his arms out. The baby instantly calmed, making a soft cooing noise as the ten year old cradled him close. Sabo immediately took over talking for Ace.

"Do we really get to stay? Do you mean it?" He asked with childish glee, bouncing up and down from his heels to the balls of his feet, grinning widely. He really liked it in this new place. He was clean for the first time in a long time, it was warm, and they had food. And he got to sleep in a bed! And the adults here weren't mean.

He didn't want to leave.

Ace was more skeptical but said nothing. If they could stay here, it would be better for both Sabo and Luffy. He'd do anything to make sure they wouldn't have to suffer like he had, even if it meant getting along with these people.

"Yes. I don't know how long you will stay here, but it will probably be a while."

Smoker was slightly annoyed. It wasn't for the reasons he was earlier, about having to host a few kids. It was the reasons he had to host the kids. Normally they were just brought right over to the orphanage or the hospital, so why was it so different with these kids? It was probably to have constant watch over them. He had a feeling his boss may be up to no good. Still, he wasn't going to do anything about it yet, not if it meant endangering kids.

So he would, grudgingly, accept three more into his household.

"We have to go shopping," Smoker said to them, a serious look on his face. Sabo cocked his head to the side, confused, since in his world he had ever only heard of stealing. Ace looked annoyed by the look on his face while Luffy was grabbing at his black hair and yanking at it.

"You're coming too Law," Smoker said, reaching out and grabbing the teen who was trying to sneak away from his spying. Law grumbled, arms crossed childishly. Smoker put his fingers on the bridge of his nose, pinching.

He was  _ not _ looking forward to shopping.

 

* * *

 

 

Smoker really wanted a cigarette.

Or five.

Or twenty.

He knew shopping could be stressful, but how the hell could three brats be so damn annoying? They had literally been at the store for twenty minutes – and he wished the car ride could be forgotten. Law and Ace had started fighting like snakes and mongooses, kicking and punching, shouting and flailing in the small space between front and backseat. Sabo was yelling at them to stop while Luffy had started crying from the commotion. It had taken all of Smoker's might not to punch both of them over the head.

But now this was going to far.

So far, he had gotten a bunch of stuff on a list that Tashigi had emailed to him. It was mainly things needed for the baby. There was clothes, diapers, toys, blankets, a carrier, a crib, bottles, bibs, binkies and so on and so forth and he was really lucky that all of this was being paid for by work. He had chosen out some clothes for the older boys and had to get them some school supplies because apparently Ace had to be sent to school and he needed books and notebooks and pencils and why do they need so much stuff? And the boy had lots of opinions on backpacks, the only school thing they had so far – Smoker couldn't understand why there were so many types of backpacks. Couldn't they just have a few convenient ones, not to small or too big or flashy? And he just realized that kids like toys too, don't they? Would a game system do? He still had to finish getting them clothes. But he couldn't do that if they were running around the store like morons.

"Law! Ace! Get back here right now!" Smoker shouted at them, uncaring for his surroundings because they were chasing each other around with – were those manikin arms? – trying to smack each other, fighting and yelling. Sabo was standing next to the man, only staying because he held Luffy, and Ace told him to stay with Luffy no matter what. Smoker really wished that he could go knock some sense into them but with two carriages and a baby, it probably wasn't the best idea.

Who had told him that boys were easy to raise?

Who told him that Law was mature for his age?

They must've been delusional.

And great, there's a store clerk. Really, he could use more than twenty cigarettes by now, maybe Tashigi to help him with these brats, and the ability to magically do a lot of things at once.

Or maybe he just needed a nap.

That sounded good too.

 

* * *

 

 

Three hours later, after getting a store clerk to help them and the two idiot boys to calm down, Smoker had managed to get everything that they needed. They had gone through the whole store, every damn aisle, and bought a lot of stuff – including formula because Ace had informed him of Luffy's insatiable stomach.

Just another thing Smoker needed in his bills.

But the infant was asleep now, sleeping soundly on the large bed with Sabo as Smoker tried to put together the contraption called a crib. Ace and Law were both in the kitchen cooking and Smoker really hoped that they could get along long enough to make a simple three sandwiches, all that they were asked to do.

They then walked into the room, a platter with three sandwiches stacked on top of each other in Law's hand. He sat on the bed, putting the platter between him and the younger boy. Smoker stepped back from the crib and grabbed one of the meaty sandwiches, taking a vicious bite and chewing for a few moments before swallowing and speaking.

"I don't want to see or hear you two arguing while you're both here," Smoker demanded. The two boys glared at him and he glowered right back. "I'm serious. You two are going to be stuck in this house for a while. You have to learn to get along."

He turned back to the crib, sandwich in his mouth, not seeing the glares the boys directed at each other.


	3. You Better Be Prepared for Shit to go Down

It was a few days later. Smoker was making some sandwiches at the counter in the kitchen while behind him, Ace was staring at a paper with a pencil in hand. He was supposed to be taking a test, to help place him in a class, but Smoker had the feeling that the kid couldn't read.

He could hear Law's obnoxiously loud music from down the hall, echoing through the house and making him wonder how his nephew could listen to music that made his ears want to bleed. Sabo was in the living room, sitting on the floor and watching TV, some educational video Tashigi had given to him, while Luffy laid next to him. Smoker was happy that for once, no one was crying or screaming or yelling or fighting.

He finished cutting the sandwiches into halves and walked over to the table where Ace sat, putting down the platter of food before sitting next to the boy. He had been asked to have the kid take this test because of placement for classes. Most of all, they wanted to know if the kid could read, which was probably a no considering it had been a half hour and he was still staring at the first page like it was a BC Calculus equation. Smoker sat down across from him, staring at the blank page and wishing he could have a smoke right then, and finally sighed.

"Can you read?"

Ace immediately looked up at Smoker, glowering with the heat of the sun. Smoker remained unaffected.

"So that's a no?"

Ace made a 'tch' sound with his tongue and teeth and nodded his head sharply, leaning against the back of his seat and crossing his arms in frustration. Smoker inhaled deeply through his nose as he crossed his own arms. Over the past few days, he learned that this kid was as stubborn as a bull. He had barely said ten words to Smoker at once and he only ever spoke to him if it was something concerning Luffy.

"Do you need help?"

Ace glared at him again, his eyes dark and his lips pulled into a deep scowl.

"I don't need help."

"Then do you want to end up in a kindergarten glass?"

Ace frowned as a look of displeasure came over his face. But he quickly turned his head, arms still crossed, and stared at the wall. Smoker sighed deeply.

"Look, even if you can't read, as long as you can comprehend, then you won't be stuck with six year olds. I can write the answers you give me if you cooperate."

Smoker really didn't want to do this, but he had been told to give the kid help and try to somehow make him finish the test, even if Smoker had to write the answers, because no matter what, the kid was going to school.

Ace twitched, looking as if he was going to concede, and glanced at Smoker. The man had put the test in front of himself and was holding out a hand for the pencil. Ace hesitated before grudgingly and reluctantly handing over the pencil. Smoker inwardly groaned when he realized he had to read this whole test aloud to the brat.

"Alright. What's ten divided by two?"

 

* * *

 

 

Ace was surprisingly bright for a child with no formal education. He had gotten a lot of the test correct and could recognize a few numbers by appearance, not verbally, but since he couldn't write or read words and had very little math skills, he would have to be placed in fourth grade, not fifth. At least, according to what the teachers at the public school had said.

Still though, this just gave Law a new reason to antagonize the boy and Smoker a new reason to have a headache.

They were in front of the grocery store at the moment, all five of them, because they needed more food and Smoker did not trust Law to watch over the kids at the house alone. He'd probably fight with Ace the whole time or ignore them. That sounded like something Law would do. Or maybe even experiment on them. He'd done it to his friends before and Smoker did not want to have to relive that.

So Law was forced to come, mostly to annoy him, but also to teach him what responsibility was.

He hoped he wouldn't regret this.

"I have to go change Luffy's diaper. Law, don't let anything bad happen."

 

* * *

 

 

Once Smoker was out of sight, Law took out his phone and completely blocked out Ace and Sabo. Sabo was having fun looking at all the different pictures and colors on the cereal boxed while Ace stared up at the teen, unimpressed. Did he know what responsibility was? Or did he just not care? Ace assumed it was the later.

Then again it could be the former. He was smart but he wasn't  _ smart _ .

Suddenly Ace smirked. He was going to have fun with this.

 

* * *

 

 

"Law, where are Ace and Sabo?"

"They're right behind me."

"You're the only one in the aisle."

Law blinked and looked around before he paled at the menacing aura his uncle exuded.

_ Shit. _

 

* * *

 

 

"There's so much candy!" Sabo cheered, running up the aisle then back down again, stopping once in a while to look at some of the junk food that caught his eyes. Ace grinned as he looked at his brother before turning and looking over all the candy before his eyes. He'd stolen some from convenience stores before or found the money to pay, but he'd never seen such a wide array. It was normally gum, Hershey's, and sour patch kids that he saw. This was just on a whole other level.

"Ace! Ace! What's this? Can we get it?" Sabo ran up, ramming right into Ace's side. The older boy stumbled and grumbled before half heartedly staring at the blond, who was staring up at him with hopeful eyes. He then followed the boy's pointed finger to see what he was staring at. He blinked in confused awe.

"…what is it?"

"I dunno, but it looks really cool!"

A hand suddenly landed harshly on Ace's head. Sabo just blinked as Ace hissed liked a cat, turned, and kicked whoever it was in the knee, forcing them to the ground. When he realized it was Law, a smug smile came over his face.

Law sat up and glared at Ace, thinking of all the experiments and pranks he could pull on the kid to freak him out. But right now, he was angry about the kid blatantly walking off.

"You're an annoying little shit," Law seethed out. Ace glared at him with a smirk dancing on his lips.

"You're the irresponsible one here."

"At least I can read my own name."

Ace twitched and glowered. "What does that have to do with this?!"

"What's 5 divided by 0?"

"How the fuck should I know?!"

"Moron."

"You're the moron here!"

While Ace and Law engaged in a "quiet" shouting match, Sabo stared at them blankly. He'd seen it so often over the past few days that now, it was more annoying than anything.

He just wanted the good looking food.

Sabo began to scale the unstable shelves, wanting to reach that food. Ace and Law remained oblivious as lighting seemed to flow between them and they insulted each other in any way possible.

When Sabo slipped, a hand caught him. He was turned around and he grinned at Smoker, who looked highly annoyed. The police officer turned to the bickering boys and smacked both of them over the head.

"OW!"

"Smoker-ya! What was that for bastard – ow!"

The two looked up and froze as icy cold wind and snow seemed to blow behind the man as he glared at them with the might of a volcano. Luffy was staring down at them with curious, innocent eyes while Sabo was wearing this absolutely shit eating grin and was he holding a box of twinkies?

"Twinkies are disgusting," Law said with a disgusted face. He was going to be a doctor and just thinking of eating that, of it being considered food, made him shiver.

"You're just being picky. Food is food. You eat what you can get!" Ace turned to him, eyes ablaze with fire. Hell, he didn't even know what twinkies were, but if it was edible, he would eat it.

"I suppose you just have no regard for your health then."

"I'll eat anything I can to survive!"

"Then you really are stupid."

"I am not stupid!"

"A-C-E! What does that spell?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"Because that's your name, idiot!"

"I am not an idiot!"

"Law. Ace."

The two froze, sweating with nervousness. Smoker's voice sounded deadly and when they looked up he was - oh hell no was Smoker  _ smiling _ ? Forget the fact that Ace couldn't spell his own name or that Ace thought Law was a wimp - Smoker was smiling and it was creeping them the fuck out and the aura around him was cold and  _ oh my god NO! Now it's a GRIN! _

Law and Ace looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes, gulping simultaneously while Sabo, still being held in the air, covered his mouth to stifle his giggles.

"If I hear another word out of either of you, then you're both going to be in even more shit tonight than you already are."

The two didn't say another word but glared the whole way home.

 

* * *

 

 

A week later, Law and Ace were home alone. Smoker had to take both Sabo and Luffy to the doctor for some check ups. Ace's wasn't for another day or two and the boy had been tired, so he decided to stay home, even if it meant he was home alone with Law.

Law was currently in the kitchen, making himself a sandwich. He had just finished his homework for the weekend and was starving. He needed to get some food in his stomach soon or else he would just get into more fights with Ace which meant getting in trouble with his uncle and he really didn't want that right now.

He heard a groan of discomfort from the living room and his brows furrowed. He moved to the doorway and searched, his eyes eventually landing on Ace. They widened ever so slightly as he stared at the younger.

The boy was asleep on the couch. Law figured it was narcolepsy and normally when he had an attack, he slept peacefully. Not today, though. The boy was sweating, his brows furrowed as he seemed to curl in on himself. His fingers were clutching the couch cushions like hooks clutch walls. He was muttering to himself as well, sleep talking. It was quiet though and Law couldn't make out a word he said.

"No!"

Law hid behind the door as Ace's eyes shot open and, in a flurry of clumsy movement, fell face first to the floor. He heard the boy groan again and watched with calculating eyes as he sat up. The boy sat there for a moment, staring at his hands before clenching them into fists, putting them on the floor in front of him. The freckled child said nothing and merely stared at the ground, seeming to be trying to calm himself.

It reminded Law of himself. He could see it in Ace's face – it wasn't simply nightmares plaguing him. No, that was the face of someone whose nightmares were his memories. He was the same as Law.

Law's interest in Ace grew ten fold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even now imagining Smoker smiling is just plain weird

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this 1-2 years ago. It started as fluff, but as the tags say, this will not stay fluff. Ah, I still don't know how I wrote this but I did!


End file.
